Dream
Dream: noun. A series of thoughts, images, and sensations occurring in a person's mind during sleep.
Spike & Buffy have been in a happy HEALTHY relationship for some time. Buffy has a dream, Spike takes the brunt of the aftermath. Set post chosen.
Buffy's Brain*
Buffy placed her key in the lock and turned it, opening the door. As soon as she stepped into the apartment she shared with Spike, she knew that something was wrong. The look on her face told him everything he needed to know. There were signs of a struggle, the weapons chest open, papers strewn around the room, the couch cushions all over the floor.
Buffy panicked; it wasn't the first time they had been attacked there. She looked around for any sign of him and then heard a noise coming from the bedroom.
She bounded down the hallway, grabbed the door handle, and burst into the room.
The two blondes in the bed were startled. Spike's eyes grew wide as he realized Buffy was standing there. He impulsively threw the woman off him and crawled to the edge of the bed, trying to cover himself up.
He gasped, "Buffy!"
Buffy stood rigid, tears forming in her eyes
He said, "This isn't what it looks like."
"Don't" she held her hand up to silence him.
"I mean it, Luv; I can explain!" Spike argued.
Buffy looked at him and then turned around and slammed the door behind her. She ran out into the living room.
"Buffy" Spike called after her.
XXXXXX
Buffy jolted awake; she woke up in a cold sweat. She reached over to Spike's side of the bed, but he wasn't there. She turned over to her bedside table and glanced at the alarm clock next to her.
The clock read '09:34AM'.
She sat up, contemplating the dream she just had. How could he do this to her? After all this time? After everything they'd worked so hard to build? She was pissed.
She got up and threw her robe on, tying it tightly around her waist. She walked down the hallway to find Spike in the kitchen cooking breakfast.
This was an everyday occurrence, for a vampire who didn't need to eat to live; he sure was a good cook. He clocked her just as he finished putting scrambled eggs on her plate.
"Morning sunshine," he smiled
"Good morning," she said coldly.
"Eggs, just how you like them," he said as he handed her the plate.
"Thank you."
He asked, "Something wrong?"
"Nope," she said as she stuffed a forkful of eggs in her mouth.
Spike frowned for a moment. "Uh, no reason... So, what are your plans for today?"
Buffy shrugged.
"You really have gotten out of the wrong side of the bed today," he complained. "Well… I'm off to see a man about a demon."
He kissed her on the top of her head
"I hope you're in a better mood when I get back," he sighed.
XXXXXX
"So then I said, 'Yeah, you and who's army?' And then BLAM!" Xander said excitedly.
"What?" asked Willow.
"Yeah, they were toast!"
"Did you see him in Philadelphia?" asked Willow.
"No!" he exclaimed, looking down at his feet and speaking in a whispered voice. "Just last night… on Call of Duty."
"Call of Duty?" Willow raised an eyebrow. "I thought you were talking about your recon with the girls last week in Philadelphia!"
Buffy had been staring into her coffee cup for the past twenty minutes; she had completely zoned out and hadn't heard a word of Willow and Xander's conversation.
"Didn't you, Buffy?" Willow finished.
"Didn't I?" Buffy was completely lost.
Willow frowned. "Nothing...are you okay, Buffy? You've been staring at your coffee but haven't taken a sip."
She whispered, "Spike cheated on me."
"What?" Willow's eyes grew wide.
Xander exclaimed, "I'll kill him!"
"Xander!" Willow admonished him
"C'mon! After everything?" Xander yelled. "Y'know what? It's okay because I've just been looking for an excuse to introduce him to the pointy end of a stake!"
Willow shook her head. "Xander, no!" she said. "Are you okay Buffy? I mean there could be an explanation?"
"What kind of good explanation could there be for that?" asked Xander.
Willow was about to argue but then agreed with him. "It just doesn't seem like something Spike would do… I mean, he loves you!"
"Guys!" Buffy stopped the chatter "It was in my dream."
"What?" asked Xander.
She said, "Spike cheated on me… in my dream." She finished.
Willow gasped, "Oh!"
"You've really been looking for a reason to stake Spike?" asked Buffy.
"The guy just bugs me" Xander shrugged
XXXXX
Buffy and Spike walked through the graveyard in silence for the most part of the night. Spike dare not say anything as not to enrage Buffy. He wasn't quite sure what he had done but she was getting good at the silent treatment.
Spike was still thinking about the previous night. They had dinner together, then done a round of patrol. Once they were back at their apartment, Buffy had gotten into the shower, she scrubbed off the vamp dust that had collected in her hair. He had slipped in behind her.
She was startled at first but soon came around when he kissed her. They had a perfect shower together, ending the night tucked up together, legs intertwined.
He didn't understand it. Had he missed their anniversary? No… her birthday? No… he just couldn't put his finger on it. He decided enough was enough, he was sick of the silence between them. They were going to hash this out.
Okay, Luv… what's wrong?" he asked. "Because I've spent the better part of tonight racking my brain trying to figure out how I've upset you and I'm coming up with bugger all!"
She told him, "I don't want to talk about it." As she walked away.
"No!" he said, stopping her in her tracks. "When we agreed to give this a shot, a proper go, we promised no secrets, no lies, and whatever we were feeling, we needed to lay it out on the table so we could fix it."
"I don't know how we can fix this," said Buffy.
He looked at her in shock. "What?" he asked. "Buffy, just tell me what I've done," he pleaded. "I can't stand being like this. I love you, whatever it is, we can get through this."
She muttered but he caught the word 'cheated'
He gasped, "You cheated on me?"
"No!" she exclaimed.
"Then what are you talking about, woman!" he yelled.
She said, "You cheated on me in my dream."
Spike looked at her for a moment and then burst out laughing. "In your dream?"
"Spike," she pleaded.
"No," he chuckled. "You've been in a foul mood with me all goddamn day because I cheated on you in your dream."
She nodded
"You're insane!" He exclaimed
"You're not me! This dream felt so real!" She told him
He reminded her, "But it wasn't!"
She said, "I know that! Deep down, I know that, of course I do." But the very thought of you being with somebody else made her heart hurt.
She sighed heavily
She knew it was stupid and childish
"Everybody I've ever loved has left me... Angel, Riley, my mom... they all left, and the thought of you being with somebody else or just leaving me makes me want to vomit. And I guess I've just been working through some abandonment issues lately, and I know I've been cold and distant"
"You were punishing me for something 'Dream Spike' had done to you…which by the way, would never EVER happen" He reassured her. "I've told you so many times now, Buffy. I'm not going anywhere. My head or my heart could never be turned against you. You're the one, Buffy." He smiled.
A stray tear rolled down Buffy's face. He stepped forward and wiped her tears away.
"I mean it, y'know… I love you. My bloody heart is full of you. Nobody could ever or would ever take your place," he smiled softly.
"I love you" she told him "I'm sorry"
He smiled brightly "Don't be… but promise me this. If 'Dream Spike' ever hurts you or does something to piss you off, talk to me"
She nodded
"I mean it Buffy!" He got stern with her "All the time and effort we've put into this relationship. We are a million miles away from where we started and I'm not about to go back to that"
"I promise"
He smiled and pulled her in close "This is forever Summers"
"Always" she smiled
He dipped his head and kissed her softly before slipping his hand in hers and walking along the tombstones once again.
"So, who was the girl?" He asked
Buffy hit him playfully "I'm not telling"
"Was it Dru?" He asked
"Ugh no!" said Buffy
"Was it what's her name from demon languages?" He asked again
"I'm not telling you!" She stood her ground
"It was wasn't it!" He laughed "Luv she's not my type… anyway I think she's seeing Dax from HR"
"Stop!" She laughed
"C'mon Slayer I've gotta know!" He bugged her
"Fine… it was Harmony" she winced
"Harmony?" He rolled his eyes "You could've picked somebody better than that!"
